Abuela
The narrator begins these short stories with her last memory with her abuela which is Spanish for grandmother. During that conversation, we see her grandmother breaking down the ethnic barriers between them (the narrator is half black, we learn, so their appearance is somewhat dissimilar). But, Abuela is consistent, showing her that the questions of identity are important, but not as important as love. She is sick and passes away shortly thereafter.
The narrator
The stories feature an unnamed narrator, a preteen at first, who is trying to understand her life in the context of her grandmother's recent death. She is half-African, half-Spanish, living in Puerto Rico. She spends time with her grandfather, a salsa critic, and she learns about her heritage through his relationship to music. She struggles to feel properly African or Puerto Rican, because her looks are unique from both.
Grandfather
Her grandfather loves Salsa, especially this musician, Lavoe, who he takes her to see. His approach to her difficult questions is kind and musical, and he often does something inspiring with her when she's feeling down, instead of getting buried in her emotional questions. He shows her that her heritage can be found in her love for African-Islander music, like Salsa or Merengue.
Rosa
The title story introduces Rosa, an African-Puerto Rican woman living in New York City. There becomes a serious problem when her husband begins to attack her one day, beating her often from then on out, somewhat frequently. She hates her husband but can't find a way out. Her only hope is a lover who cares about her deeply, with whom desires to she move to Puerto Rico.
